Ancestral Tides Annual Report

Sea turtles are living ambassadors from a deep and distant past. For Indigenous cultures along the coast, these ancient, 100 million-year-old creatures embody wisdom, endurance, and the power of creation.

Through our Ancestral Tides program, the Amazon Conservation Team partners with Indigenous and local communities to protect sea turtles and the coastal ecosystems they call home—from the Gulf of California to Colombia. Together, we’ve worked to safeguard five species of sea turtles, including the critically endangered Green turtle. By combining ancestral knowledge with modern biological monitoring, our approach has helped thousands of hatchlings survive their epic 10,000-mile ocean journey—and return to the very beaches where they were born.

We’re excited to share some of the highlights from the past year in our Ancestral Tides Annual Report 2024.

Where we work

Ancestral Tides has become a global and cross-cultural effort. With our headquarters in Costa Rica, we have expanded our work across the Americas, also protecting sea turtles in Mexico, Panama, and Colombia.

Expanding Indigenous Environmental Stewardship

The Ancestral Tides program works with six Indigenous peoples: Comcáac, Emberá, Guna, Arhuaco, Kogui, and Wayu. Indigenous peoples living near the coast have a deep relationship with the ocean, which not only provides them with abundant food sources but also holds great cultural and spiritual significance. Much like the Amazon Conservation Team’s work in the Amazon, we recognize that Indigenous communities are the best stewards of the environment, and that their cultural survival is intertwined with the health of the natural world.

Safeguarding Endangered Sea Turtle Species

Ancestral Tides works for the protection of five species of sea turtles across our eight sites: the Green Turtle, Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, Loggerhead, and Leatherback. Three of these turtle species are either vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. Our strategies for protection include citizen science and community monitoring of turtles, as well as biological monitoring of both nesting and hatchlings. We also promote the ability of each of our partner communities to safeguard the natural resources of their territories and promote livelihoods through sustainable practices.

Global Results

20,081 sea turtle hatchlings released

1,573 sea turtle nests protected

80 Kilometers of beach covered in biological monitoring

18 Indigenous and local communities leading conservation of sea turtles and their ecosystems